DA calls on McBride to volunteer for special leave

Reports have confirmed that Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) Head, Robert McBride, charged with child abuse and assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, was granted R10 000 bail in the Pretoria Magistrates Court today.

Given the fact that the Constitutional Court has given Parliament two years to amend the laws that govern the removal of the IPID Head, the DA calls on McBride to do the right thing and request that he be placed on Special Leave pending the outcome of the case.

McBride’s next court appearance has been postponed to 2 October 2017.

While McBride is innocent until proven guilty, he should recuse himself from his position of leadership, pending the outcome of the case against him, given the seriousness of the charges that he is facing.

It was only three days ago that revelations of an alleged clandestine intelligence operations referred to as ‘Project Wonder’ exposed the ongoing interference by suspended Heads of SAPS, Crime Intelligence and Hawks in police operations.

It is abundantly clear that the Police service has been compromised by years of political interference and political infighting for too long.

It is high time that McBride recuse himself from his position of leadership so that attention does not continue to be diverted from the Police’s critical responsibility of bringing down the high crime rate in the country.

Statement issued by Zakhele Mbhele MP, DA Shadow Minister of Police, 30 August 2017